Public Domain photo of Barry Goldwater
http://medford.patch.com/groups/joe-vigliones-blog/p/bringing-a-new-public-access-tv-station-to-medford
As a producer/host who taped more quality shows at TV3 Medford than arguablly any other volunteer producer, one of the few able to make shows without interference (for awhile) from board members, ex board members and staff who thought - wrongly - that they were the "public" in public access, one has to be concerned (while laughing) when a board member from another access TV station says that she made a promise not to talk about TV3 and then claims that the one person who led the fight to clean up TV 3 has "nothing to do with" TV3. Like that carpetbagger would know!.
With family roots deep in Medford going back to the 1940s and possibly earlier, it is amazing to me that in 2014 our city is behind-the-times when it comes to access television. In that regard, that old curmudgeon is right, none of us have ANYTHING to do with the bad things the corrupt board at TV3 exacted on this city. We volunteer producers, though, have EVERYTHING to do with Channel 3. We are the new Channel 3.
The late Senator Barry Goldwater had a part in the censorship, as noted on Wikipedia:
The 1984 Cable Franchise Policy and Communications Act written by SenatorBarry Goldwater, said,
"A franchising authority ... may require as part of a cable operator's proposal for a franchise renewal ... that channel capacity be designated for public, educational, or governmental use." -- 47 USC § 531(a)[12][13](emph. added)
This appeared to be a law which creates new rights, allowing local communities to require PEG channels, however, it in fact had the opposite effect. Since the franchise agreement is a contract between the cable operator and the municipality, the municipality could always stipulate a PEG channel requirement, and the contracts clause of the United States Constitution prevents Congress from interfering. So while the intent may have been to correct the omission which led to the Midwest Video decision, and make PEG mandatory, the result was a law which allowed the municipality to opt-out of PEG requirements, and keep 100% of the Cable television franchise fees for their general fund, while providing no PEG facilities or television channel capacity. Since 1984, many Public-access television centers have closed around the country as more municipalities take the opt-out provision.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Public-access_television
By the way, this essay is ABOUT TV3 Medford, and written by me. So when someone throws her unwanted two-cents in she violates an agreement she made to stay neutral it is someone showing that she can't adhere to ANY code of conduct. The military has a code of conduct. Bragging about military service and acting in a boorish and mean-spirited way is a slap in the face to the excellent marines who protect us from just that kind of bad behavior.
You see, that's the problem, people. Hacks who don't produce real access tv, who worm their way into situations only to eat away like a termite at our First Amendment rights to the television platform, are angry, bitter, jealous and obstructionists.
Those of us who are in the fight, the real marines and soldiers of access TV, we can see the frauds for what they are. Birds of a feather often flock together, so just look at the associates of the bad element to notice their anger, and what we need to protect the public from.
That's why the new station must start with a clean slate.
When I was asked why I allow comments only to delete them, it is to gather evidence for the day when we have a new cable TV station and we can show what the old members of the board of directors engaged in. All the e mails have been not only saved but distributed to others on the right side of this battle.
We will have a new TV station in Medford, and even a duplicitous woman who came into this Patch site throwing rocks with absolutely no knowledge of the situation or one ounce of compassion, even a self-described troublemaker can't stop us on the road to Freedom.
Others before me have had to put up with the bullying by those who should know better. The key here is that one of the TV3 "crowd" (who told a judge, under oath, that he wasn't part of that club. For shame!) is now allegedly going to be on trial on August 15. The others have scattered to the four winds.
What set them off this week? Clearly the fact that we are moving forward and that they aren't informed on the situation has driven them crazy. Art Deluca wants to "sue" using an Open Meeting Law rule (gee, once again, Deluca is copying his hetter! The sincerist form of flattery) yet Arthur Jamoke Deluca doesn't realize it wasn't an open meeting, so no open meeting law applies.
Arthur Deluca's statements about allegedly converting the equipment that isn't his to allegedly pay fines for alleged criminal acitivity Deluca admitted to (thank God the Medford Deluca isn't affiliated with the mob, you read what happened to his namesake for talking too much!) was shocking, not only in the admission but the complete stupidity that compelled him to be so smug, defiant and such a joke in public.
We are bringing a new TV station to Medford, and Arthur Jamoke has already stated what he thinks of P/E/G. Playing both ends against the middle shows a lack of clarity, poor judgment, and excellent reasons why Deluca needs a straight jacket, not a public access TV show.